With the 2025-26 NHL Preseason opening up this weekend and various junior or professional leagues beginning their seasons in the near future, I wanted to take a look at most of Detroit’s most note-worthy prospects. What role might they play, which league will they play in, and most importantly, how many points will they score?
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The Red Wings have had one of the league’s better prospect pools over the past five years or so, and many of the best remaining players are approaching the NHL. With guys like Axel Sandin Pellikka and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård likely testing how many letters the Grand Rapids Griffins’ equipment staff can fit on a jersey and others like Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur pushing more clearly for NHL jobs, there is a ton of young talent on the way.
We’ll start with some of the biggest names, and finish up with some guys you should maybe brush up on before they light up the preseason and everyone starts talking about them *cough, Emmitt Finnie, cough*.
Axel Sandin Pellikka, RD
I expect Axel Sandin Pellikka to be competitive in Detroit’s training camp, and he should get into a preseason game or two. However, I think there’s a bit of a short-term log-jam on the right side with Justin Holl, Travis Hamonic, and Jacob Bernard-Docker all fighting for the bottom-four spots on the right side of defense. While ASP certainly is the highest ceiling player of that group, I expect he’ll spend the majority of the coming year in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins as their primary offensive driver on the backend, likely as the quarterback of their top power play unit.
Point Prediction: 32 points in 55 AHL games, 3 points in 12 NHL games
Nate Danielson, C
Nate Danielson had a great rookie year in the AHL, scoring 39 points in 71 AHL games, and I think he’s got a great chance to crack Detroit’s opening night lineup as either their 3C behind Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper, or as a winger on the top line, much like how the Red Wings broke Kasper into the league. The recurring complaint with Danielson is that his strong eye-test scores haven’t really translated to the scoresheet in recent years. However, if he lands on Larkin’s wing alongside Lucas Raymond, I expect his skating and playmaking will lead to a good amount of points.
Point Prediction: 34 points in 82 NHL games
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (MBN) isn’t someone the Red Wings are likely to rush into the NHL, considering the number of wingers they have with very little term remaining. He would likely need to really blow expectations out of the water at training camp to jump above guys like James Van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton, or even someone like Jonatan Berggren. MBN plays a well rounded game but his shot and compete level are stand out traits that should make him a top-six forward in due time, though I think he’d be best served by spending the vast majority of this coming season in the AHL.
Point Prediction: 25 points in 60 AHL games, 5 points in 15 NHL games
Carter Bear, LW
Despite what his name may imply, Carter Bear is a dog. He was one of the WHL’s leading scorers last season before being cut by a skate blade back in March. While that ended his draft season, Bear had already made a huge impression on NHL teams with his ability to make skill plays in the dirty areas of the ice.
Bear profiles similarly to Kasper, with the engine and skating to be a nuisance in all three zones, and I think he’s got enough skill to project as a real top-six scorer on the wing. I do expect him to return to Everett in the WHL for this coming season, where he should be one of the league’s top scorers again and could even earn a look at Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Championship with a hot start.
Point Prediction: 105 points in 68 WHL games
Sebastian Cossa, G
While some fans might be getting antsy about Sebastian Cossa and the Red Wings’ roadmap for him, it’s worth remembering that very few U23 goaltenders break out into the NHL and stick. It’s not uncommon for goalies to develop until their mid-20s before making the NHL and that appears to be the plan for Cossa. After a hot start last season, Cossa’s play faded a bit as the season continued, ending his three year streak of putting up a .913 save percentage.
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With the Red Wings adding John Gibson this offseason, Detroit has made their hopes clear, with the backup slot earmarked for Cossa in a year’s time after Cam Talbot’s contract expires. Cossa will be the undisputed starter in Grand Rapids again this year, and I expect he’ll get more than a couple games in as a reliever if Detroit has any injuries in net this year.
Stat Prediction: 27 wins in 45 AHL games, 2 wins in 6 NHL games
Trey Augustine, G
Trey Augustine is running it back with Michigan State University this season in hopes of winning a national championship before inevitably going pro in the spring. Augustine’s technical play and mindset are always dialed in, and if he was a bit bigger or a slightly more explosive athlete I think he’d be talked about a lot more outside of Detroit’s fanbase. Regardless, Augustine has been one of the best goalies in the NCAA over the past two years and should be the undisputed top goalie in college hockey despite having nothing left to prove at the amateur level. My guess is he’ll join the Griffins after going on a long run in the NCAA playoffs, heading to Grand Rapids during a playoff run of their own.
Stat Prediction: 24 wins, .933 save percentage, 2 wins in 4 AHL playoff games
Eddie Genborg, LW
Eddie Genborg, Detroit’s second round pick in the 2025 Draft, is a hard working winger who plays physically and wins a lot of pucks by banging around in traffic. He split his draft year between Sweden’s J20 level and the SHL, but he didn’t have a huge role as a pro, scoring just two points in 28 games. Genborg is a good enough skater and is physically advanced enough that I expect he’ll be a full time pro this season, though his early production (3 points in 3 SHL games) will surely slow down.
Point Prediction: 21 points in 52 SHL games
Shai Buium, LD
Shai Buium is a fascinating player, with the size and skill that gets teams excited about a defender. However, he isn’t the most agile skater, and he doesn’t use his large frame to his advantage enough for my liking. There’s legit NHL-level offensive upside in his game, but I’m not sure if he’ll be able to keep up with the pace of play. Regardless, he’s set to be an important player for the Griffins again this year.
Point Prediction: 39 points in 72 AHL games
Anton Johansson, LD
Anton Johansson skates well for a 6-foot-4 defender, and has some NHL potential as a depth defender who plays with a physical edge. He can charge down the boards off the blue line or get shots on net through traffic, but I don’t anticipate he would score much at the NHL level. He is certainly someone to watch in the SHL this year, as an improved offensive game could make it his final year in Sweden.
Point Prediction: 15 points in 52 SHL games
Dmitri Buchelnikov, LW
Dmitri Buchelnikov has been an interesting prospect to watch over the past few seasons as an undersized winger playing through Russia’s professional levels. He seemingly broke through last season, scoring nearly a point per game on one of the KHL’s worst teams. However, that team folded over the offseason and since joining a new team, Buchelnikov’s production has been very slow to start this season (one point in six games).
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While I still believe he could have a good North American career, I’m starting to lean toward him topping out as a good AHL scorer if he does ever sign with the Red Wings. He’s got a great shot and some good playmaking, but his skating and his skinny, short frame just don’t feel like they’re NHL tools at this point.
Point Prediction: 40 points in 68 KHL games
Emmitt Finnie, LW
Emmitt Finnie has already surpassed expectations for him in the two years since he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 Draft. He played two seasons of roughly point-per-game hockey in the WHL in a leadership role with the Kamloops Blazers and had an impressive audition with the Griffins last spring as well.
Finnie is an engine on the wing, driving the net and winning puck battles, and though he doesn’t project as a significant scoring threat in the NHL, just the fact that he is even on the Red Wings’ radar bodes well for him. It’s also worth mentioning that Finnie has impressed at Red Wings training camp so far, even earning a tryout on the wing of Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.
Point Prediction: 30 points in 72 AHL games
Amadeus Lombardi, LW
For an undersized winger who relies on speed and skill, Amadeus Lombardi’s game has translated quite well to the AHL. Last season he was one of the Griffins’ most potent offensive forces despite missing nearly half of the season. If he blows the team away in training camp this week then there’s always a chance he forces their hand and makes the NHL, though I expect he’ll be a high scorer in Grand Rapids this year who earns at least a couple of games in Detroit as an early call-up.
Point Prediction: 65 points in 60 AHL games, 3 points in 8 NHL games
William Wallinder, LD
William Wallinder has been on the radar for Red Wings fans for quite some time, but once Edvinsson made the jump to the NHL, it finally became more clear what Wallinder could be in North America. He was a big part of the Griffins’ attempt to fill the Edvinsson-shaped hole in their lineup, and his mobility/length combo was a pivotal piece of that. He isn’t likely to create a ton of offense in Detroit, but I could see him being a steady third pairing defender for them, one capable of playing his off-side when needed.
Point Prediction: 26 points in 72 AHL games
Carter Mazur, LW
After an injury cut his NHL debut short before it even really began, the hype train slowed down once again for Mazur. He missed most of last season due to various injuries, but was excellent when he did play, and I think he’s got the skill and hardness to his game to hold down an NHL spot once he earns one. I expect Mazur to have the same season structure as Kasper had last season, starting off in the AHL before quickly jumping in as a call-up and never giving the roster spot back.
Point Prediction: 10 points in 14 AHL games, 16 points in 60 NHL games
Which predictions do you think will come true? Do you have any predictions of your own for Red Wings prospects? Anyone you think I’m too high or low on? Sound off in the comment section below!